State senator asks Attorney General to weigh in on pipeline legislation

A state senator has asked the Attorney General to weigh in on the constitutionality of pipeline legislation to be debated next week.

Sen. Galen Hadley of Kearney has sent Attorney General Jon Bruning a letter, asking him to issue a formal opinion on LB4 sent to the full legislature by the Natural Resources Committee.

“So, to help the senators who are not attorneys, I hope to have an opinion that can help guide the legislature as it works on these bills,” Hadley told reporters in a news conference at the Capitol.

Hadley said he hopes that the Attorney General can cut through some of the conflicting legal assessments given the committee during three days of public hearings. Hadley said he’s read the five legal assessments of the legislation given to the committee; all well written and largely coming to conflicting conclusions. Hadley said the Attorney General could clarify the legal issues for legislators.

He said questions about the constitutionality of the bill need to be clarified to guide how he votes.

“Let’s just say that would be a factor in my decision, because that is one of the things that I am most concerned about right now,” said Hadley. “I don’t think anyone down here wants to pass a bill that they know is unconstitutional.”